Apparatus for treating coal-gas.



H. A.- CARPENTER & A. W. WARNER.

APPARATUS ROR TREATING COAL GAS. APPLkcATloN HLED FEB. a, 19x 5.

Patented Jau. 25, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. fr.

H. A. CARPENTFER a. A. vv. WARNER.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING COAL GAS.

lutvnd Jan. "3, 15H6.

5 SHEET'SSHEET 2.

INVENTORS H. AQCARPENTER A. W. WARNER.

APPARATUS yOR TREATING COAL GAS. APPLICATION FILED ma. I9I5.

'Patented 111.25, 1916.

www..

v 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I lll.

Q5 7 vIIITNEssEs H. A. CARPENTER 'z A. W. WARNER.

APPARATUS For. THE/mwa com CAS.

APPLIC `HDN NEED PEB. 9l5. M i

lzxt'mlled am 2., Mb. 'l 9 SHLHS SHEET 4.

, MEM@ M. CHPE'NTEB a W. WANER.

APPARAYUS FR TREATiNG COAL GAS.

APPLICATEON man FEB. 9, |915.;

5 SHEE`1 S-SHEET 5.

, ASSIGNORS T RITER-CONLEY MANUFA CTURING COMPANY, OF TTSBURG-l, lEENNf SXLVANA. A CORPORATIN GF PENNSYLVANIA.

AYPARATUS FOR TRETING COATJfG-PLS.

lApplication iled February 9, 1915. Serial No. 7,03?.

To all yw/wm t may conce/rn l Be it known that we, HENRY A. @Aarau- 'rnu and Airrnun lV. -l/xnnnn, mtr/,ens of the yUnited States, residing at Sewickley, in the coal gas during,- its passage 'from the gener ator to the oll'talre mein, and consists plif marily of improved noans for cooling the gas and thereby precipitating thelieavier hydrocarbons such as tar, naphthalene, etc., before these zululterating and stoppagelforming substances can pass to the main and apparatus beyond, thereby eliminating much of the stoppage heretofore exper-i enced and decreasing the work ot those portions of the apparatus or system to which the gas is delivered.

The invention has particular reference to improved and highly ellicient means i'or maintaining uninterrupted circulation of the cooling and cleansing` liquid, the flow being maintained by air or other gaseous duid manipulated by a pump in such manner as to cause the requisite flow or circulation without subjecting the liquid to the usual. mechanical pumping process, the manipulation of the present invention being more advantageous than the former practice because of the presence oli substances 'in the liquid which tend to interfere with or obstruct 'the ordinary pumping operation, and because ojli the facility with which the l'low of liquid may be accurately controlled.

A furtherA object is to utilize the temperaf ture ot the gas llor automatically controlling the `flow. of the cleansing liquid, the 'flow increasing with increasing temperature in such manner as to cool and deliver the gas to the olltale at a substantially uniform temperature regardless of temperature variations before the gas is subjected to the cooling process, thereby insuring uniform precipitation of the stoppage-forming impurities. ln the adaptation herein disclosed this automatic regulation is accomplished by utilizing the temperature oil the`gas through the medium of a thermostat 'for determining the rate of flow of the cooling liquid.

A further characteristic of the invention is the arrangement of the cooling liquid con- Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2353. i916.

' tainers and the sliiraying mechanism. in substantially the same horizontalv plane, there-- by minimizing` the pumping force required for maintaining the requisite circulation.

,ln connection with the air manipulation a fm ther eaturelds the employment el an air pump which is C ircctly connected to an elecv tric motor, the motor being inclosed in an air and gas-tight (fusing1 or jacket whereby danger oli lire and explosion from sparking of the motor are eliminated.

The inventirm also includes improved means for alternating1 the simultaneous lilling and einptyingr ol two liquic containers which are included in the circulation system, one container discharging while the other is lilling, and vice-versa, the liquid levels in the containers operatingl to automatically reverse these operations without interfering with the continuity of the 'lieu'.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a #front elevation of gas generating appa ratus to which the iilnljention is applied, and Fig. is a view in 'top plan olli the same. Fig. is a' diagrammatic view of the improved apparatus illustrating the various devices and connections which enter into the circulation system.. Fig. l is va'view of a pair of tanks or containers,'shown partly inl elevation and partly in section, from one oi:

which the 'cooling mediunil'is discharged into I the circulation system andl to the other of, which the liquid is returned from the sys teni, the view also illustratingsthe reversible valve Vineclninisi'n associated with the tanks.

Fig. 5 is an elevation taken at right angles to Fig. a, the upper inclosing casing being showing in section. Fig. 6 1s a vertical section of the pitnian and pitman seal shown at the le'fthand sido of Fig. 4./ Fig. 7 is'a vertical section the` jh the center' of the reversible valve'nnd ive connections, taken at right angles to ling'. 4f. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail ,showing the connection between the gas-exposed extremity of the thermostat and the main. Fig. il isa. view of the pump,

pump-actuating motor, and a uniliary or governingmotor, the same being Ilshown partly in sect-ion and 4partly in elevation. Fig. l0 is` a diagrannnatic view oil' a Jportion of the pump-actuating motor,` togesher with the auxiliary or governing motor.

The invention herein may be utilized in connection with various or'n'yls iol" apparatus :tor delivering gasv from the generators or retorts to the offtake main. The delivering apparatus herein disclosed, .which is the invention of Henry A. Carpenter and is "claimed in his application filed August 6, lill-l. Serial No. 855,415, Consists of standpipes 2 into each of which is discharged the gas from a vertical series of retorts 3 ar-t ranged in benches 1, with the upper ends of-the stand-pipes entered in the containers orcooling chambers 5 from which lead outlet pipes (into the ofitake main 7. Chambers 5 are preferably formed in units each of sufficient length and capacity to serve two or three stand-pipes, whereby the product of a relatively large number of retorts is thoroughly miXed and cooled and the heavier hydrocarbons'precipitated beforel passing to the oti'take main. Each container 5 is preferablyprovided with at least two outlets 6 leading to the main, each of which is valved at G to so regulate and control the outflow from different portions of the container as to maintain uniformity in the temperature and quality of the gas passing to the oift'ake.

',Valved outlets 8` in chambers 5 above and in line with the stand-pipes afford access to the latter for'cleaning, etc.

In .its broader aspect the invention simply requires .a container, chamber or passage which is traversed by the gaslin passing from the generators or retorts and in which it may be cooled with the resulting precipitation of impurities, and hence it will be .understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment of gas passage, conta-mer, or cooling chamber, herein disclosed. The container or cooling chamber, in the present adaptation chamber 5 is included in a closed liquid circulation system, the advantages of which are well understood in the art. By means thereof much ammonia is saved as compared with an open or fresh-water circulation, for after the cooling medium has become saturated no additional ammonia is extracted from the ga s,and the fully saturated liquid is quite as effective for cooling the gas as pure or fresh water would be. i

The circulation system includes two closed tanks or reservoirs 9 and 10. The liquid is discharged iiito the upper portion of each container 5 'through a series of sprayers 11, being conducted thereto from one or the other of tanks 9 and 10 through pipe 12, a cooler 13 of conventional form Jbeing ineluded in pipe 12 forreducing the,tempera ture of the liquid to the desired degree in its passage to sprayers 11. The liquid collects in the lower portion of container or chamber 5 beneath the upper extremities of the stand-pipes and hence cannot' fiow into the latter. Sprayers 1-.1 are so disposed as not to discharge intol the stand-pipes, without, however, interfering with a full and thorough spraying and cooling of the gas which results in precipitating the tar and other heavier hydrocarbons held in suspension by the gas as it fiows from the standpipes. The fiuid laden with the precipitated impurities discharges from container 5 through pipe 14 of the circulation system into a tar separator and collector 15 of conventional form, and from the latter through pipe 16 to tank 9 or 10. The liquid is caused to circulate by withdrawing air from the upper portion of one of the tanks and thereby inducing an inward flow of liquid and simultaneously forcing air into the upper portion of the other tank and causing the liquid to flow therefrom. In the adjustment shown in the drawings, tank 9 is discharging its liquid contents and tank 10 is filling. Each tank empties and fills alternately lthrough pipes 1T and 18, respectively, said pipes connectedv by pipe 19 for the forward or outward .y flow` through pipe 12, and with both of ysaid pipes connected to pipe 1G for the inward or return fiow. The oppositely opening check valves a, and b in pipe 19 are automatically controlled by the pressure and suction forces for maintaining communication between outflow pipe 12 and the dischi'irging tank S) 'or 10, and for closing communication between pipe 12 and the tank which is filling. Similarly, corresponding check valves c and d close the inlet pipe 16 to the discharging tank and open said pipe to the tankv which is filling.

Air under pressure for causing the cool ing liquid to circulate is admitted to the discharging tank 9 or 10 through pipe 2O and is withdrawn from the charging or filling tank through pipe 21, these pipes being connected, respectively, to the outlet and intake of an air pump, as will be presently described. For controlling communication between the said air pipes and tanks i) and 10, a slide valve provided with an operating rein 23 is mounted in chest 2l in which the valve seat 25 is formed with three ports which aline with each other longitudinally ofthe chest. The central port 2b is in communication with air inlet pipe 20, and ports 27 rand 28 at opposite sides of port 2G are, respectively. in communication with tanks 9 and 10. A port 2f) maintains the air outlet pipe 21 in constant connnunication with the steam chest at the exterior of valve 22. The under side of the slide valve is ported at 30 to maintain communifaition between port 26 and either of ports 2T, 28 with thc other of said ports in unobstructwl communication through the steam chest with the air outlet port 29 and pipe 2l. l

The slide valve is reversed forl reversing the action tanks Sand 10 by displacement devices within each tank which arc acted upon by the liquid and which transmit the valve-shifting mOYCllent at the proper times mecano i nl through the medium of a lwalking beam 3l. This beam islcentrally mounted on an upright 32, `with rods 33 depending from opposite ends thereof into the i'espective tanks, with displacement heads 3i secured to each rod. ll'hile these l aids perfrm, in a measure, thcflunction ot lloats, they are preferA ably iormed ot solid metal, the two sets so balancing each other and their displacement action in the liquid being suchas to-render them quite as etiective as lioats, without, however, subjecting the apparatus to the danger oi neuk-down resulting' from a leaky or otherwise impaired float. As tank 9 empties with a corresponding filling of tank l0, the lowering tendency of displacement heads in tank 9 and the' corresponding semi-buoyancy or' the heads in tank 10 causes the sets to shift their position in such manner that when there has been sutiicient emptying ot one MHK und filling of the other the displacement action rocks beam 31 and thereby shifts the valve'by the means which will nowbe described.

The pivoted snap arm 35 is under the constant upward pull or tension of spring 36,

the arm having .a sutlciently loose or compensating connection with the valve rein Q3, as indicated at 37, to permit the arm to move to center posi-tion 1n response to the -ni'oveinent ot the walking beam without dis-` turbing the valve, but upon passing the centen line spring 3b causes a snap motion which immediately andcompletely throws the valve to the opposite adjustment. For

transmitting the valve-shifting motion fromA the walking beam a link 38 depending theretrom is connected to one arm Bil of the bellcrank 40, the depending arm oi this bellcrank being connected to the valve-shitting arm at t2.

To maintain tanks 9 and 10 air and "gas tight and thereby prevent leakage ot the saturated liquid forcing or impelling air, cach pitman rod 33 is inclosed in an openbottomtube 43 which is adapted to move "vertically between the fixed separated inner 'and outer tubes 44 and supported by the --tariln a column of mercury M 'being conlined 'in the space in which tube 43 works` withthe result that an air and gras tight seal is always maintained between each pitman 33 and the tank from which it projects. This arrangement eliminates friction and the seal maintaining uncertainties incident to au ordinary stuiling box. A casing li incloses the walkingI beam and other parts of the valve-shifting mechanism.

The air circulation pipes Q0 and 2l lead, respectively, from the outlet 4b and inlet-47 oi a centrifugal air pump i8 of usual or any preferred construction which may be located in any convenient partv of the plant.

rthis pump is preferably directly connected to the extended portion 49er an electric motor armature shaft 50. 51 lis the com mutator or' the motor, and 52' are the sli1tting or adjustable commutator brushes, the

position or adjustment of which determine the speed of the. motor and consequently the speed ot the air pump. The commutator brushes are mounted o'n the brush carrier 53 which is adapted to oscillate on the armature shaft, as here shown carrier 53 being '58 and 59 in opposite ends oli the motor inclosing frame GO, frame end 6l in which bearing 58 is located completely isolating the motor from the pump which latter is preferably extended from and supported by frame end 61. Frame 60 is constructed with an extension or enlargement G2 which incloses the brush shifter and its motor 57.

. With frame 60 and its extension 62 air and gas tight, combustible vapors frompump i8 or other sources are excluded, thereby elim-1 inating all danger ot tire or explosion which otherwise might be caused by sparking ot' the motors. y

For intermittently and automatically conu trolling the operation of motor 57 in order to move the brush shifter in one direction or the other or to maintain it stationary, the circuits 63 for motor 57, preferably of three phase arrangement, are controlled bythe reversing switch Gil which in its extreme positions causes motor 57 to operate in one direction or the other, while when the switch is in intermediate position (the adjustment shown in Fig. 3) the circuits are open and the motor is at a standstill, The ar rangement of the motor circuits and the details of the switch are shown only conventionally as they form no part of the present invention and specific description and illus- 'tration are deemed unnecessary.-

'lvhermostatic mechanism 65, preferably of Taglibue type, is utilized for. operating switch G4, the force for shifting the switch being transmitted thereto through pivoted arm 66, A flexible actuating connection 67 tor the thermostat has its sensitive extremity 68 exposed to the gas, preferably Within main 7 and beyond the last lateral'outlet (3, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the regulating temperature is a composite of the temperatures of all the gas delivered to the main. Obviously, extremity 68 may be arranged at any other point Where a substanlos tially uniform temperature condition is to ranged as above described, it is controlled by the temperature of the gas, the thermostat actuating the switch 64 in such manner as to so control motor 57 as to'cause the pump driving motor to run at increased or decreased speed, or to maintain a desirable speed, all as determined by the gas cooling 'demands upon the apparatus. lVith an increasing or -rising temperature of the gas discharging into the main, the action o f then," thermostat will result in a more rapid or copious flow' of the cooling liquid from the V means for inducing an inflow of liquid therethrough, a gas inlet and a gas outlet for the container,- means controlled by the temperature of the cooled gas for determining the flow of the cooling liquid, and a liquidoutlet for the container.

3. The combination of a gas container, a retort-bench stand-pipeadapted tc discharge gas into the container, means for discharg- Ving gas-cooling liquid into the container, and" a thermostat in the path of the gas for regulating the flow of the cooling liquid.

4. The combination of a gas container, a retort-bench stand-pipe adapted to discharge gas into the container, means for discharging gas-cooling liquid into the container, and means controlled by the temperature ofthe cooled gas for regulating the flow of the cooling liquid.

5. The combination of a gas container, means for subjecting the gas-to a flowing cooling fluid, a thermostat under the influence of the gas, and variable flow-inducing means for the cooling?` fluid operatively con-` nected to and regulatedby the thermostat.

6. The combination of a gas container, means for subjecting the to aflowing cooling fluid, a thermostat under the influence of' the gas, a variable speedT pump for inducing a flow of the cooling fluid,meclia nism for varying the speed of the pump, and means operatively connecting the thermostat and said speed-varying mechanism for automatically adjusting the latter.

f?. The combination of a gas container, a closed circulation system for passing a coolv ing fluid to and from the container. a variable speed pump for maintaining fluid circulation through said system, and means controlled by the temperature of the gas for automaticallyregulating the speed of the pump. i

8. The combination of a gas container, means for subjecting the gas to a flowing cooling fluid, means for inducingI variable "flow of the cooling fluid, and means controlled by the temperature .of the gas and operatively connected to the flow-inducing means for determining the speed of the latter.

.9. Tlie'coinbinatioii of al gas container,

means for subjecting the gas to a fluid cooling medium, a variable speed pump for in- 4 ducing variable flow 'of the cooling medium,

an electric motor for regulating the speed o1 the pump, electric circuits connected to the motor for driving the saine in reverse directions, and means controlled by the temperature of the gas for controlling the Cllrrent flow to the motor.

10. The combination of a gas container, means for subjecting the gas to a cooling fluid, a pump for inipelling the cooling fluid,

.an electric motor for driving the pump,

shifting brushes for the motor for varying the speed of the latter, brush-shifting means, and a thermostat under the influence of the gas and operatively connected to the brush-shifting means.

1 1. The combination of a gas container, l

,means for subjecting the gas to a cooling fluid, a pump for impelling the cooling fluid, an electric motor for driving the pump,

,shiftable brushes for varying the speed of the motor, an electric motor for shifting the brushes, means for reversing the current flow to the last mentioned motor, and means controlled by the temperature of the gas for controlling the current floureversing means.

l2. The combination of a gas container, means for subjecting the gas to a cooling liquid, means for subjecting the liquid to air pressure for iinpclling the saine, a variable ydrive pump for the liquid-impelling air, and

means actuated by variations in temperature of the gas for varying the speed of the pump.

13. The combination of a gas container having an inlet and an outlet for cooling liquid, means for inducing a flow of cooling liquid rthrough the container, a gas inlet and a gas outlet 'tor thel container, and temperature controlled means under the influence of the gals for automatically regulating the flow of the cooling liquid.

14. The combination of a gas container, a closed liquid circulation system in which thel container is included and with the liquid adapted to pass and i'epass throughthe colitainer and in contact with the gas, means for maintaining circulation of liquid through the closed system, and temperature controlled means under the influence of the inceste gas for automatically regulating the new of the cooling liquid.

15. The combination of va 4gas container,

y gas container for discharging thereinto,

means for draining the liquid from the gas container intercliangeably'into the tanks, one tank being adapted 'to ill as the other empties and vice versa, means for reversing the direction of the liquid flow `to and from the respective tanks, and flow-inducing means.

16.The combination of a gascontaiiier,

two tanks for a cooling liquid connected to and adapted Valternately to discharge into the gas container, means for conducting cooling liquid from the gas container alternately to one and then the other tank, means for inducing a flow of liquid, and means actuated by the liquid within the tanks for simultaneously reversing the liquid outflow and inflow thereof.

17. The combination of a gas'container, two tanks for a cooling liquid connected to the gas container for alternately discharging thereinto,h means for conducting the liquid from the gas container to the tanks alternately, the fluid connections being ar ranged to discharge the liquid from one tank and simultaneously conduct the liquid from the gas container to the other tank and vice versa, liquid impelling means common to the two tanks, and ,means controlled by the contents of 'the said tanks for reversing e -two tanks for 'a cooling liquid, connections the action of the iiuid impelling means.v

18. The combination of a gas container, two tanks for a cooling liquid with connections between said tanks ,and the gas containerforl discharging liquid interchangeably from' thefornier ,into-the latter, connections between the tanks and gas container vfor discharging the liquid interchangeably1 from the former into the latter, meansfor forcing air into one tank and for simultaneously withdrawing air from the other tank, and means for reversing the action ofthe air forcing means. I

19. The combination of agas container, twotanks for a cooling liquid, connections between the tanks and the container for discharging liquid interchangeably from the tanks into the container, connections between the tanks and container for discharging the liquid interchangeably from the container into the tanks, means for forcing air into one tank and for simultaneously withdraw-` ing air from the other tank, and means controlled by the quantity of liquid in the tanks for reversing the action of the airforcing means.

20. lThe combination of .a gas container, two tanks for a cooling liquid, connections between the tanks and the container for discharging liquid interchangeably from the tanks into the container, connections between the tanks and container for discharging the liquid interchangeably from the con tainer into the tanks, means for forcing air into one tank and for simultaneously withdrawing air from the other tank, a reversible valve for reversing the action of the air iii the respective tanks, a displacement device movable in each tank and actuated by the liquid therein, and means operatively connecting the displacement devices to the valve for shifting the latter.

2l. rlhe combination of a gas container, two tanks for a cooling liquid, connections between the tanks and the container for disbetweenffthe tanks-and the "container for discharging liquid interchangeably from the tanks into the container, connections between the tanks and container for discharging the liquid interchangeably from the container into thetanks, means for forcing air into one'tank and .for simultaneously withdrawing4 air from the other tank, a reversible valve for reversing the action of the air in the respective tanks, a fluid actuated device movably mounted in each tank, an operative connection between said devices whereby eachA reacts on the other, and a compensating snap connection between said connecting means and the valve whereby predetermined movement of said fluid actuated devices operates to shift the valve.

y In testimony whereof, we aliiX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

'imitar ii; caiirnivrnii. mari-ina w. Wannen.

Witnesses:

M. il. STEELE, v ADA M. STEELE. 

